SUNY Potsdam’s Ott signs with NWHL's Buffalo Beauts

POTSDAM -- SUNY Potsdam’s just-graduated women's hockey standout Jordan Ott has signed a contract to play for the Buffalo Beauts of the National Women's Hockey League.

Ott is the program's first to reach the ranks of professional hockey.

Ott received an invitation for an NWHL league-wide tryout early in May, but it was too close to final exams for her to go. But a couple of weeks later she got another invite, this time from the Beauts directly. She said she was on the fence initially, but decided to give it a shot.

"This is an opportunity I've dreamed about my entire life," said Ott. "The opportunity to play professional hockey is obviously the highlight of my athletic career."

Last weekend, after a meeting with the team's staff, Ott spent two days scrimmaging and drilling with other invitees and returning Buffalo players. She preformed well and was offered a contract Tuesday.

"It is a great day for Jordan and her family," said Bears' 10th-year head coach Jay Green.

Ott will skate with the team during the summer and will be back at Potsdam in August to begin her master's degree. With some creative scheduling, she also fully intends to serve as the Bears' assistant softball coach next season.

In her four seasons with Potsdam, Ott recorded an NCAA-era program record of 107 points. The forward owns the Bears' records for goals (61), power-power play goals (18), game-winning goals (12), points-per-game (1.06), points in a season (36) and is fourth in assists (46).

Ott was the 2014 USCHO.com National Division III and ECAC West Rookie of the Year. She was second team all-conference in 2014 and 2017 and was honorable mention in 2015 and 2016. She also collected third team All-USCHO and D3Hockey.com East All-Region accolades in 2016.

The NWHL is one of two professional women's leagues, and will begin its third season this October.

The league consists of four teams, the Beauts, Boston Pride, Connecticut Whale and New York Riveters. Buffalo captured the second ever Isobel Cup in March. NWHL rosters have been largely made up of former NCAA Division I athletes. Last season, only seven players in the league were non-Division I and only four were from Division III programs.